PSVR: HALLOWEEN EDITION (PART 3)
Bloody Zombies: This game is exactly what you think it's going to be -- no more, no less. A 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up played from a 3D perspective. All that means is you can move up closer to the characters, look left or right to see the entire course and find secrets that wouldn't easily be visible from a flat view. This novelty lasted up until the second level. Unfortunately, the difficulty ramps up quickly and I found myself frustrated and unable to progress past the fifth stage (about halfway through the game) without restarting. Since this is made for 1-4 players (obviously only one person can wear the headset at a time), I get the feeling the difficulty level remains the same across the board and that's why I keep getting overrun by baddies. Maybe I'll give it another shot some other time, but I can't really recommend it in its current state. An "easy" option would have been preferable.
The Exorcist: Legion VR: They had the rights to one of the scariest movie franchises of all time, how could they go wrong? For one, this feels like an almost bare-bones experience. With a game boasting 5 chapters (more like "scenes") at $29.99 regular price, you'd think it would be substantial, but you could probably race through the entire thing in under an hour. More importantly though, is it scary? Well, the first time you play and you don't know what to expect, it sure is. You'll wind up replaying each chapter several times for the glitchy trophies (there are optional objectives and a hidden puzzle in each chapter, not required for progression), so by the time I got 100%, it all felt very predictable. Also, it stinks that the game is called The Exorcist, but you're playing as a police detective. Yeah, you pick up a priest's gear, but the levels feel so disparate that it's hard to find a throughline or thread connecting the plot. I'm also very disappointed that there wasn't a Regan-like character in the game; who doesn't want to exorcise a little demon girl? However, this game gives you exactly what you want when it comes to holding out a cross and repeating "The power of Christ compels you!" over and over (not actually required for gameplay, but fun for added immersion). That being said, it's a decent game as long as you don't hold high expectations and you pay less than $15. Probably not as scary as Paranormal Activity or Don't Knock Twice due to the fact that it breaks immersion between chapters and there isn't really a lot to do beyond triggering events.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard: There's a reason why I saved this one for last; because it makes every VR game I played before it look like a piece of shit. Since this wasn't built exclusively for VR, it actually feels like a
real game, with engaging gameplay, moderate to challenging difficulty, and great big monster setpieces to shoot at. Moving around and aiming feels very natural and intuitive in VR and comfort settings help immensely when you're running about. I didn't get nauseous, but I did frequently get the eye sweats which fogged up my goggles, though that might have had more to do with terror. In short, it's everything you could want in VR horror. Of course, I
could find some minor issues to nitpick: the VR to 2D video transitions break immersion at times, the lack of Move support, manual save stations (in 2017!), and your inventory space is never quite big enough to accommodate everything the game has to offer. Anyway, it's already been established, but this is a top 10 VR game. Definitely an easy recommend, unless you don't like things jumping out at your face (it can be intense at times). I've played through the main campaign (both endings) and I still have plenty of
DLC to delve into in the Gold Edition, so this feels like the perfect way to close out the Halloween season.
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PART 1,
PART 2)
ing awesome. It feels like I'm playing a Pixar movie combined with the mechanics of Super Mario. It's positively delightful. Plus I'm encouraged to explore the VRspace for secrets, similar to Moss. Another Top 10 VR game in one week. 